Aston, South Yorkshire
Coordinates: 53°21′29″N 1°18′36″W / 53.3581°N 1.30988°W
Aston is a village in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England.
History
Unlike other places of the same name, Aston does not mean "eastern farm or village", but instead originates from the Old English words tun "farm, village, and estate" with an uncertain first element. The name was recorded as Essetone in 1039, suggesting Old English ǣsc "ash tree" (as in Ashton and Ashton-in-Makerfield) but this is not certain.
Aston was traditionally a farming village and some old farm buildings line the main road. Some distinguishedstructures are cared for today as private residences. 'High Trees', on the corner of Church Lane, is a grand old house commonly referred to as 'The White House' by villagers, and has been the subject of many ghost stories among village children for decades. Legend has it that the ghost of the White Lady roams the property nightly, lamenting her violent and untimely death at the hands of her cruel husband who dispatched her by throwing her down the stairs. Those brave enough to enter the house (let alone live in it) will observe the indelible blood stain at the bottom of the stairs. The house on Worksop Road at the bend opposite the church, now named The Grange, is the former Red Bull public house and is particularly beautiful. Today, Aston is primarily a residential village rather than an industrial one. Historically, though, the increase in population in the early 20th century came about as a direct result of the arrival of several coal mines in the area.
Aston All Saint's Church is featured in the Domesday Book. The building, in places, displays evidence of pre-conquest architecture and is the oldest surviving structure in the village.
The housing estate known as "The Chase" is named so because it was the traditional hunting ground designated for the family of the hall. Today, this area of land is drained and heavily populated.
Aston Hall, adjacent to the church, has been variously a large country house, hospital, and most recently a hotel and restaurant, and gives its name to Aston Hall Cricket Club which plays home games close to the Hall. The original hall was destroyed by fire. The hall and, indeed, most of the original Aston estate was occupied by the Verelst family for many years prior to its eventual break up and sale.
Geography
Aston has an anomalous Sheffield postal address and telephone dialling code even though it has been part of the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham since 1974 and, prior to that, part of Rotherham Rural District since 1894.
Aston is just off junction 31 of the M1 motorway. Junction 31 intersects with the A57. The A57 ran straight through Aston until the completion of the A57 bypass in 1985 thus relieving severe traffic congestion in the village. The old route was re-designated as the B6200.
Aston is around 2 miles from Rother Valley Country Park. It is joined up with local villages, Aughton and Swallownest to form the Aston cum Aughton relationship.
Education
Aston Academy is the local high school, specialising in mathematics and computing. Most pupils come from the Aston-cum-Aughton area but pupils from other nearby villages such as Beighton, Woodhouse and Treeton also attend the school.
Local primary schools are:
- Aston C of E (Church of England)
- Aston Hall Primary
- Aston Lodge Primary
- Aston Springwood Junior & Infant School
- Swallownest Primary
- Aughton Primary
- Aston Fence Junior & Infant
Notable people
C3P0 actor Anthony Daniels resides in the Aston Common area.
External links
Media related to Aston, South Yorkshire at Wikimedia Commons- Aston in the Domesday Book
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